How does narcissism affect students?
In this article, I am discussing narcissism and its effects on students. In a school, a teacher or any school authority may be narcissistic. Narcissistic parents can uprightly affect the career and education of their child. Hence narcissism should be avoided to protect the intellect and interests of students.
A narcissistic person is someone who is constantly in need of self-esteem and praise and, hence, uses willful techniques to try to control others. They are so strongly urged to acquire admiration that they even ignore the needs of other people around them. Such people can easily devalue others to gain control over them. Anybody can be narcissistic, and hence a teacher or a school authority could be a narcissistic person. Narcissism can unpredictably affect a student, causing him or her to lose confidence, and creativity, and instill fear. Even bright students can become disinterested in their studies and extracurricular activities due to the constant abuse and restlessness around them. Children with special needs or weaker students are extremely vulnerable to narcissism as they cannot use defensive techniques.How a narcissistic parent can affect their child
Many narcissistic people are overly ambitious and hence pressurize their children to achieve harder goals. If the child is not able to fulfill the demands, then they become harsh, either verbally or physically. Narcissistic parents are usually rank-conscious and always wish their children to compete with everyone in the class. So, such parents may become jealous of students who are performing better than other children, although their children are able to be sporting about it. If the child scores higher marks in the examination, then they feel so delighted that they are desperate to notify people around them. But if the child scores lower marks, they use harsh words, saying something like "You are spoiling our name", or even "Stop interacting with the child." Such parents are so self-involved that they do not even bother to know if their child is leading a smooth life in school. Some children are experiencing problems with classmates, teachers, or school authorities, but parents do not even understand the pain they undergo as they are unable to read expressions. Every parent should honestly admit if they possess such characteristics and modify their behavior soon. Otherwise, the children would gradually experience even more dire problems.
The capacity to absorb information is diminished due to constant pressure. Such children score low marks in an exam and do not develop the skills essential for growth. They are not able to express their feelings or opinions openly and become less communicative. So, how do you expect such children to become successful professionals? Parents should always understand that we are governed by boundaries in life and that a child cannot achieve everything they desire. Instead, they should always nurture and protect their children in all walks of life.How a narcissistic teacher can affect students
Every academic year, students are taught by different teachers. Some teachers are loving, caring, and nurturing, but some teachers solely focus on self-esteem and power. A narcissistic teacher gains control over students without understanding their needs. Such teachers are so dominant that they even insist students on writing notes in a particular way. I remember some teachers whacking students for not leaving a one-line space after completing a sentence. They are constantly reprimanding students for every frivolous mistake. They will say "Why are you not following my instructions" or "Is this the way I told you to write in your book" or label students such as "You are good for nothing" or "You can never learn anything".
Narcissistic teachers expect students to learn as quickly as possible and expect that the students should score higher marks to boost their self-esteem. Such teachers expect the students to win prizes in every competition and are always pressuring the students. Comparing students in a class is a source of pleasure for the teacher. They experience euphoria when the students are acting absolutely according to their will, but they never realize the mental condition of the students. The students who are suppressed due to their controlling nature later express their feelings intensely. When they are promoted to the next class, they often pass remarks such as 'Thank God, the teacher is away from me now'. Later on, such teachers lose their goodwill. Even when the students become successful in life, they often narrate their bitter experiences with the teacher. They also state that they succeeded in life due to other teachers or parents.How narcissistic school authorities can affect academics
School authorities usually are a principal or an administrator. School authorities instill fear among students by imposing several rules and regulations. Instead of working towards the development and welfare of students, they focus on ways to boost self-esteem. So, they pressure students to achieve their goals. Their goals are often unrealistic, creating a sense of burden among students. Students are often unwilling to come to school and feel nervous after waking up in the morning. They are often doing activities due to pressure and a lack of interest.
Narcissistic school authorities often show no empathy for weak students but put pressure on brighter students. They often expect students to excel in every activity so they can create goodwill. They often forget students are like buds who should be nurtured and should not be them like employees. Unhappy students can never create goodwill because they lose interest and enthusiasm. They are constantly monitoring the activities of the students and punishing them for every frivolous fault. Affected students are usually unwilling to stay in school up to the 10th or 12th grade. They are seeking admission to new schools after completing the academic year. So, such schools may gain a reputation for a short time but cannot survive in the competition in the long run.Conclusion
Many teachers, principals, or even parents are a source of inspiration today, but some of them are narcissists unknowingly. Nobody is perfectly good, but we should strive hard to eliminate our negativity for the welfare of others. Instead of using narcissistic ways to uplift students, shower them with your love, calmness, and intelligence to inspire and influence them in a positive way.
I have a live example of a narcissistic teacher. I know a student who is doing well and getting appreciation from all the faculty in the school. This particular student is in a class where the class teacher was very experienced and good. So whenever anybody appreciated this boy, the name of his class teacher was also mentioned. Another teacher who never wanted any other teacher to excel more than him tried to shift that boy to his section but could not. So intentionally he started discouraging him indirectly and insulted him once or twice. These incidents made that boy get discouraged. His class teacher noticed this and started encouraging him and that student obtained 1st rank in that district in 12th class. In my opinion, teachers and parents should encourage their students so that they will perform well but should never be discouraged.